As the new school year begins, many parents in Charleston and Berkeley counties are expressing frustration over school bus delays, which have been causing their children to arrive late to school and leaving parents scrambling to make it to work on time.
Transportation Challenges for Charleston County Schools
In Charleston County, some parents have reported delays of up to 40 minutes during the first week of school. School district officials acknowledge the challenges and assure families that delays are expected as everyone adjusts to new bus schedules.
“There are going to be anomalies. Just driving around today, we hit traffic patterns we weren’t used to,” said Jeff Borowy, Chief Operating Officer of Charleston County School District (CCSD). He added that while the district has 400 bus drivers, many of them are new. However, he remains confident that things will improve as the year progresses.
Growing Traffic Issues in Berkeley County
In Berkeley County, rapid population growth is contributing to traffic problems that affect school transportation. Katie Tanner, a representative for Berkeley County School District (BCSD), explained that the district sees an annual increase of 500-1,000 students, which leads to changes in traffic patterns and the demand for bus services.
“The traffic can be frustrating, but we live in a high-population area, and the district continues to grow,” Tanner said. She also mentioned that schools often share buses, meaning delays in elementary routes can cause a domino effect, delaying middle and high school buses.
Improving Bus Operations
Both districts emphasized that they are focused on safety and anticipate improvements as the school year progresses. In Berkeley County, teachers are spending extra time helping younger students recognize bus numbers and guiding them to their assigned buses. Tanner noted that as students become familiar with the system, wait times will decrease.
“We expect improvement as kids get used to their buses,” said Tanner, adding that the district serves a wide age range of students from Pre-K to 12th grade, and younger children, in particular, need extra guidance in the first days of school.
Ongoing Efforts to Address Staffing Shortages
Both districts are still working to hire additional bus drivers to address staffing shortages and ensure there are enough drivers to cover routes in case of absences or emergencies. Despite these initial hiccups, officials from both Charleston and Berkeley counties reassured parents that they are committed to meeting transportation needs and improving the system as the school year unfolds.
